The author has graciously agreed to do a guest post here on A Book Blogger's Diary. Please welcome, Phyllis Zimbler Miller:

My book MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL was released in April. The book takes place in 1970 during the Vietnam War and tells the story of four young women who meet as new officers’ wives at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. As people can tell from the cover of the book, the four women are quite diverse.

Here are frequent questions that I get:

What prompted you to write a book about this era? Was it personal experience?

Was your info on the four different wives taken from the lives of family and friends or of strangers? Are you portraying yourself in one of the four women?

Phyllis Zimbler and Mitchell Miller at the Coronation Ball at Michigan State University on Saturday, November 18, 1967, sponsored by the Cadet Officers Club and the Arnold Air Society.

Yes, personal experience prompted me to write this story. In the spring of 1970 I was, indeed, a new army officer’s wife at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, right after the Kent State National Guard shootings. And although the army did not say that officers reporting for active duty at Armor Officers Basic training could bring their wives, many wives – myself included – came along with their husbands.

Once we arrived and managed to find housing off-base, we were told there was an official training course for us to learn how to be proper officers’ wives. And I did volunteer to be the chair of the entertainment committee for the wives’ graduation luncheon.

What’s also true is that, besides me – a Jew from Elgin, Illinois, on the luncheon entertainment committee were a Southern Baptist, a black, and two Puerto Ricans, one of whom didn’t speak English. Needless to say, we all had to do some adjusting to each other.

Since then I’ve always wanted to write this story because I believe that it represents an important slice of women’s social history in the U.S. All fictional books and movies of which I know about the Vietnam War era depict only the men’s point of view. I wanted to talk about the women’s point of view and also what was expected of an officer’s wife during that time.

In addition, I wanted to talk about overcoming prejudice. And while in the actual writing of the characters I mashed up characteristics from many different people, there are many incidents and characteristics that are true.

I’m hoping that social studies and history teachers in high schools and colleges will find their way to this book because it provides several discussion topics for students studying that era in the U.S. And on my website at www.mrslieutenant.com I provide book group discussion guidelines along with the first four chapters of the book and original 1970 army documents.

Oh, just so you know – while Sharon Gold is the closest character to me, I was not an anti-war protester. I had my head stuck very far in the sand in order to ignore the nightly news of fighting in Vietnam because my husband had said on our third date: “I’m going to Vietnam.”

They had their whole lives to look forward to if only their husbands could survive Vietnam. In the spring of 1970 - right after the Kent State National Guard shootings and President Nixon's two-month incursion into Cambodia - four newly married young women come together at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, when their husbands go on active duty as officers in the U.S. Army. Different as these four women are, they have one thing in common: Their overwhelming fear that, right after these nine weeks of training, their husbands could be shipped out to Vietnam - and they could become war widows.

Sharon is a Northern Jewish anti-war protester who fell in love with an ROTC cadet; Kim is a Southern Baptist whose husband is intensely jealous; Donna is a Puerto Rican who grew up in an enlisted man's family; and Wendy is a Southern black whose parents have sheltered her from the brutal reality of racism in America. Read MRS. LIEUTENANT to discover what happens as these women overcome their prejudices, reveal their darkest secrets, and are initiated into their new lives as army officers' wives during the turbulent Vietnam War period.

Now, the Giveaway!

The Prize: Phyllis is generously offering up a free copy of this book to one lucky winner.

Eligibility: Anyone in the world can enter this giveaway! That's right, it's OPEN WORLDWIDE. (So, please spread the word to your international friends)

To enter: Please read the author guest post and the book's synopsis. Then leave a thoughtful question for the author in the comments of this post, along with your email address.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

There's no dearth of books in my home. In fact, the piles heaped here, there, everywhere make navigation a hazard. Makes me long to have one of those cartoon jet-shoes - they'd really help. There are books I've won, books I've got for review (many thanks to the senders - keep 'em coming), those I've borrowed from the library, exchanged with friends, etc etc etc. Books galore. I'd love to review them all, but being an ordinary human (instead of SuperBookworm that I've always dreamt of being - just tear off my ordinary work clothes, emerge in the comfiest pjs, and then read everything ever written - {dreamy sigh}) that might not be possible. I might still review some of them, but in the meantime I've decided to feature them in these Mailbox posts which will come to you every Wednesday (hopefully!).

That's not all. Amid all this reading, I've still been known to miss some much anticipated reads, all because I didn't know the books had released! So, connecting books with interested readers is another reason for these posts. Here goes:

Even among that band of rakes known as les sauvages nobles, Lord Everod’s reputation is truly wicked. Countless willing partners have enjoyed his sensual prowess, but now one lovely innocent has his undivided attention. The alluring Miss Maura Keighly once lost Everod his family’s regard, and almost cost him his life. And no vengeance could be sweeter than the delicious seduction he has planned.

British gentleman and were-dragon Peter Farewell has embarked on a daunting task: to recover the Soul of Fire, a magical ruby said to lie at the heart of British-controlled India. But finding one stone in the heart of a land simmering on the cusp of rebellion, and rife with hostile magics, seems an impossible task—until Peter saves the life of a young virgin fleeing a distasteful arranged marriage.

For unknown to Sofie Warington, the flawed gem that is all that is left of her dowry is the very one Peter has been seeking. And if Peter can keep her safe from the sinister factions desperate to gain control of both Sofie and her dowry, he will find more than a jewel; he will find his heart’s destiny.

A fiery witch able to communicate with animals, Deidra MacKay longs to relinquish her powers-they bring her nothing but misfortune and danger. So when she learns that years ago, her ancestors signed a blood pact with a vampire, cursing the MacKay clan with witchcraft, she presumes that a member of the undead can also take her magic away. So she embarks on a quest to find the one who can hopefully ease her misery.

An embittered and crippled Scotsman, Stephen Ross lives as a recluse-hiding from the world in a dreary castle. But when the intriguing and adorable Deidra arrives at his door hoping he is a vampire, he is intoxicated and aroused by her company. He joins her on her journey, hoping a vampire's magic might also heal his wounds-and soon finds himself enraptured in the heat of passion with Deidra, an affair that could put both their lives at stake.

Gorgeous flame-haired Cynda Flynn knows fire–its heat, its power, its magic. A fully trained Sybil warrior priestess, Cynda’s weapon is flame. But she’s unprepared for the passion ignited by Nick Lowell, an undercover cop in the NYPD’s Occult Crime Unit. He’s half human, half demon, and hotter than hell, with fathomless black eyes that ignite something buried deep inside Cynda, making her melt in all the right places.

Luckily, Nick has found a way to control his dark side, but he’s done it old-school–through steel-willed self-control. And after five years working secretly within the deadly Legion cult, he’s unbreakable. Or he was, until Cynda came along. Now it’s personal–and even his big bad love may not be enough to halt a terrible new evil snuffing out fire Sybils like Cynda. It’s nasty. And if it can’t be stopped, they’re all going to fry.

1940. Rural Wisconsin. Sixteen-year-old Earl “Earwig” Gunderman is not like other boys his age. Fiercely protected by his older brother, Earwig sees his town and the world around him through the prism of his own unique understanding. He sees his mother’s sadness and his father’s growing solitude. He sees his brother, Jimmy, falling in love with the most beautiful girl in town. And while Earwig is unable to make change for customers at his family’s store, he is singularly well suited to understand what other people in his town cannot: that life as they know it is about to change; the coming war will touch them all.

For Jimmy will enlist in the military. And Earwig will watch his parents’ marriage buckle under the strain of a family secret. And when Jimmy returns–a fractured shadow of his former self–it is Earwig’s turn to care for him. His struggles to right the wrongs visited upon his revered older brother by war, women, and life are at once heartwarming and riotously funny. Their family and town irrevocably altered, Earwig and Jimmy fight to find their own places in a world changed forever.

The bestselling author of The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette and The Last Wife of Henry VIII returns with an enchanting novel about the ambitious, amoral, vulnerable woman who became the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Fashion icon, leader of France’s society in the turbulent years of the guillotine and the bloody Napoleonic Wars, the alluring Josephine was a tough survivor—yet she also had a gentle, haunting quality that made her irresistible to her contemporaries, especially to the mysterious, compelling stranger from Martinique who captured her heart.

Dulcinea Craven descends from a long line of witches, and she has just inherited wild, untrained magical powers that she has no idea how to control. Now a ruthless vampire and an age-old demon are determined to enslave Cin and steal her power for their own. Her only hope is The Righteous, a band of warrior vampires who slay the rogue undead. Among them is Michael, a fierce swordsman who inflames Cin’s most primal hungers. Showing her a sensual pleasure beyond anything in the mortal realm, she must choose between the human existence she has always known, and immortality as a vampire—a new life filled with forbidden urges, dark yearning, and unearthly passions.

They met in a steamy Florida bar—then spent a night of mind-bending passion. Two secret agents who each possess unique telekinetic gifts—and whose combined sexual powers leave neither of them unscathed. For ex-Navy SEAL Wyatt Kennedy, assigned by the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives to the most treacherous mission of his career, the woman in black leather and lace has just become more than a one-night stand. Because Faith Black is the sole barrier to the success of his mission—and not even Wyatt’s legendary seduction skills can penetrate her deep cover.

Faith’s psychic gifts make her one of the world’s most dangerous women—but she hides a secret pain she shares with no one. Until Wyatt. And Faith has an agenda of her own: using her unique powers to save someone close to her—a move that pits her against a man she thought she’d never see again. For as a deadly hurricane is unleashed across the eastern seaboard, desire reignites between Faith and Wyatt, exposing secrets that thrust them both into harm’s way. With the hurricane sweeping closer—and their erotic hunger for each other growing—these two wary hearts must come together to heal, to trust . . . and to harness the power of a storm that could consume everything in its path.

Josey Cirrini is 27 years old, a tad overweight and has doomed herself to a lifetime of servitude to an ungrateful mother. She's rich and she longs to escape her North Carolina winter resort town of Bald Mountain, but feels helpless to effect any change. The coming of snow heralds a new chapter into Josey's unsuspecting life as one early winter morning she opens her closet door and finds someone living inside.

Specifically, Della Lee, a woman with a record, known for her fast life and who now shows a desperate desire to stay in Josey's closet to avoid something monumental. What it is, Della Lee isn't telling. Josey wants to dislodge her uninvited closet guest, but soon gets subtly blackmailed into letting Della Lee stay in the closet alongside Josey's hidden stash of junk food, specifically sweets, of all kinds, shapes, and colors.

At Della Lee's constant and no-nonsense urging, Josey soon begins to open up, her heart, her friendship and her courage, to others. To Adam, the mailman she's been in love with all these years, and who has a secret of his own. To Chole, a young woman obsessed with trying to learn the identity of the woman with whom her boyfriend cheated on her. To the people of her hometown, who never let Josie forget her past mistakes. And to her mother, who seems to dislike her no matter what.

Allen set the trend with her New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, a modern-day tale of magic and wonder and food. So it is with her second book, 'THE SUGAR QUEEN' as well. As always there are multiple female leads and a kind of subtle magic - water boils when passion soars, books follow a person around, that kind of stuff, at once magical and ordinary and so believable.

And food again plays a major role in the storyline. In fact, each chapter is most ingeniously named after a sweet - Mellowcreme Pumpkins, Jawbreakers, etc. So much so, that one can almost feel Josey gobbling them down with exquisite relish. One of the things that's commendable about this novel is how through Josey the author shows overeating is just another way of stuffing down feelings and how to recognize it. Allen also shows how childhood impressions and events shape us all, sometimes leaving behind scars that cannot be healed, but if recognized for what they are, can be dealt with.

The complex interpersonal relationships, the friendships, the tenderness of a new romance and even the villain to an extent - all have a sensual magic of their own. Like I said, nothing like 'abracadabra', just intense attraction, even fatal in some cases. With some humor and lots of warmth, this novel envelops its readers in an aura of excitement, togetherness and a sense of wonder all its own.

In short, destined for the Keeper shelf, like the previous book 'Garden Spells'.

Buy the Book - here.
Visit the Author's site - here.
Visit the Publisher - here.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

I'll be starting a new feature from today wherein I try and bring you some Book Trailers or Book related videos every Tuesday. If you know of any, or want your book's video/trailer featured here, email me the details.

This is a trailer for Felix Gilman's debut fantasy novel, Thunderer. The trailer neatly summarizes as well as tantalizes.

In this video Padma Vishwanathan speaks about her book, The Toss of a Lemon, which gives us a richly detailed and intimate vision of an India we've never seen. Watch now to find out which part of the book her grandmother described as "a very, very shy part."

Melissa is giving away "one of the most interesting, yet the most controversial Christian fiction books to come out in a long time" The Shack by William P. Young. She's also giving away a Christian Suspense Book PackLearning Mama has a copy of White Tombs signed by Christopher Valen himself to give away.

1-2-3 Get Organized is giving away a package of organizing books (Decluttering, Cleaning, Kitchen, Planning Your Child's Parties, and the Time Management book of your choice) - over $50 in value.

This Giveaway is part of the huge Bloggy Giveaways Carnival that's happening this week. If you see posting's a bit down till the weekend, that's the reason for it. Find more details over at Bloggy Giveaways.

Thanks to Hachette Book Group USA, I have 2 much-anticipated books to give away. Don't forget to enter my other Bloggy Book giveaway - here.

Preston Clearwater has been a criminal since stealing two chain saws and 1600 pairs of aviator sunglasses from the Army during the Second World War. Back on the road in post-war North Carolina, a member of a car-theft ring, he picks up hitch-hiking Henry Dampier, an innocent nineteen-year-old Bible salesman. Clearwater immediately recognizes Henry as just the associate he needs--one who will believe Clearwater is working as an F.B.I. spy; one who will drive the cars Clearwater steals as Clearwater follows along in another car at a safe distance. Henry joyfully sees a chance to lead a dual life as Bible salesman and a G-man.

During his hilarious and scary adventures we learn of Henry's fundamentalist youth, an upbringing that doesn't prepare him for his new life. As he falls in love and questions his religious training, Henry begins to see he's being used--that the fun and games are over, that he is on his own in a way he never imagined.

The giveaway is open only to US & Canada and will end midnight CST of August 1st.

To enter, just leave a comment with your email address, mentioning one of your favorite books. You can comment once every day till the giveaway concludes, mentioning a different book each time. Don't forget to leave your contact email address with your comment. Please don't ask me to look for it in your profile. Leave it in the format abc AT xyz DOT com to avoid spammers.

Famous in Paris, infamous in London, Verity Durant is as well-known for her mouthwatering cuisine as for her scandalous love life. But that’s the least of the surprises awaiting her new employer when he arrives at the estate of Fairleigh Park following the unexpected death of his brother.

The lawyer Stuart Somerset worked himself up from the slums of Manchester to become one of the rising political stars of England’s Parliament. To him, Verity Durant is just a name and food is just food, until her first dish touches his lips. Only one other time had he felt such pure arousal—a dangerous night of passion with a stranger, a young woman who disappeared at dawn. Ten years is a long time to wait for the main course, but when Verity Durant arrives at his table, there’s only one thing that will satisfy Stuart’s appetite for more. But is his hunger for lust, revenge—or that rarest of delicacies, love? For Verity’s past has a secret that could devour them both even as they reach for the most delicious fruit of all.…

Review

If you liked Sherry Thomas’ debut novel “Private Arrangements”, then prepare yourselves to be bowled over with this book, her next powerhouse of a novel! Sexy, soaring, savage and oh-so good – that’s “Delicious” for you! Where to begin? The fantastic characterizations, the complicated story, the sheer romance or how it all ends? To repeat myself, it’s all just SO good! Thomas does a wonderful job of creating a story that’s not for the faint of hearts. There’s nothing simple or demure or conventional about “Delicious” or its protagonists.

I’m not a personal fan of stories where sex dominates everything else, to the point there is no story. Here, it’s the idea of it (and a distant memory) that continuously tantalizes the principals (and the readers) almost the length and breadth of the novel. The incredible part is, a great deal of it happens without the hero even seeing the face of the heroine (that’s just one of the suspense elements in this story). It’s a testament to Thomas’ excellent writing prowess that this true and tried plot device works marvelously.

Thomas’ female leads are generally unconventional, but Verity Durant takes the cake - literally and figuratively. Nothing startling by today’s terms, but her life experiences are totally unlike what one has come to expect from a heroine of a historical romance. At the lowest point of her life, this woman reinvents herself to cook like a master! Similarly with leading man, Stuart - an illegitimate son of a nobleman whose ambition and hard work has brought him close to being Prime Minister. Essentially they’re the same, but the societal abyss separating them is deeper than Marina Trench. Their love is enough to bring tears to the eyes of the readers. And yet, is it strong enough to overcome social prejudices? And therein lays the crux of this exhilarating romance story.

But the heart of this novel is Food! If you’ve never considered Food an aphrodisiac before, you will after reading this novel. The descriptions are so evocative that readers can almost taste the buttery Madelines or feel the texture of the pottage against their tongues. Thomas raises dishes from being just sustenance to ambrosia when crafted by Verity. It’s little wonder her employers are so easily seduced by her. You will be too!

In Short

Sherry Thomas is now on my auto-buy list. She is that good, fellow bookworms!

Monday, July 28, 2008

This Giveaway is part of the huge Bloggy Giveaways Carnival that's happening this week. If you see that posting's a bit down till the weekend, that's the reason for it. Find more details over at Bloggy Giveaways.

The first one is Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons (releasing August 13th)

For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly--happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance. There, she looks hard to her past--to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety-- to try to figure out her future.

It is a journey begun with tender memories and culminating in a revelation that will make Lilly re-evaluate everything she thought was true about her husband and her marriage.

The giveaway is open only to US & Canada and will end midnight CST of August 1st.

To enter, just leave a comment with your email address, mentioning a book you want to read (excluding the prize books). You can comment once every day till the giveaway concludes, mentioning a different book each time. Don't forget to leave your contact email address with your comment. Please don't ask me to look for it in your profile. Leave it in the format abc AT xyz DOT com to avoid spammers.

*** Edited *** The second bloggy carnival book giveaway has started - details are here. In the meantime, don't forget to enter my current Book Giveaways:

One of the most frequent questions I get from my readers is "How do you make that sticky post?" I've explained this many times via email. So today, I finally decided to make a blog post out of it. Hopefully many of you who wonder but hesitate to ask, will also benefit from this.

What I'm about to explain below is for Blogger blogs only. If you're using some other blogging platform (like Wordpress, Typepad etc) then please check your individual platform's help or FAQ section to find out how to achieve the same for your blog.

Q: What is a STICKY POST?

It's a post that's stuck or pinned to the top of a blog or a forum. Let me explain.

Generally the way Blogger (or any other type of blog platform, I'm assuming) shows blog posts is in descending order of dates. So, a post dated say August 12, 2008 will show on top of a post dated July 24, 2008.

So you can also call a post-dated post as a Sticky Post.

Q: What's the Advantage of using a Sticky Post?

A blog owner can make posts that are important or of ongoing value to reader as sticky posts. That way it sticks to the first page or top of the blog where it gets the most visibility. Newer posts will not bury it or remove it from focus.

I use it to keep my giveaway posts on the first page of the blog where most visitors see them. Experience has shown that those posts which drop to the bottom of the page or off of the first page entirely, are seen by fewer visitors by comparison.

Q: How to Make a Sticky Post?

The easiest way to keep a specific blog post on top of all the other posts, is to change it's date of posting. You don't need a time machine to go and post in the future. This is what you do instead:

1 - If you have already posted a blog post which you now want to make a sticky post, then skip to step 2.

Otherwise, just create your blog post as usual. Click "Publish Post". Don't try to change the date of the post at this point.

2 - Go to "Edit Posts". Click Edit for the post you want to make as a sticky post.

3 - At the bottom of the edit screen, to the left of "Labels for this Post", you'll see the "Post Options" link. Click that.

4 - You'll see the "Post Date and Time" option on the right side. There, just change the date and/or time to some future date of your convenience.

5 - Click "Publish Post".

6 - Now go visit your blog and you'll see your sticky post on the top. Any other posts you post from now on until the date and time of the Sticky Post, will appear below it.

That's it! Your Sticky Post is up there for all visitors to see.

Example

Say you posted a post today or a month ago (or any time for that matter). You want to make it a sticky post and have it up on top of your blogger blog till 10 AM of August 20th. So follow the steps above to change the date to 8/20/08 and the time to 10:00 AM. And publish the post again. Any posts you make from now until 10 AM of August 20th will appear below this new sticky post of yours.

Important!

It's advisable to put a **This is a sticky post. Newer posts below** message at the very top part of your sticky post. Otherwise, Visitors who keep seeing the same post on top will assume the blog has not been updated and move on.

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy Sticky Posting!

With wry humor and complex characterization, Ellen Shanman tells a stellar story of an intelligent woman who doesn’t know how to be herself.

Mike is not your normal everyday woman. She’s distant, she doesn't flirt, she doesn't tolerate fools and she doesn't know how to be social, particularly with other women. She doesn't play on her considerable looks or beauty, hates the attention it garners her and is almost mannish in her dress and address. Looking back, a reader should hate her. That instead they fall in love with this spunky tomboy of a woman is a tribute to Shanman's writing.

As the story unfolds, Shanman reveals how Mike's social awkwardness is directly related to her upbringing by a clueless Doctor Dad, whose own grief at his wife’s passing keeps him from ever truly connecting with his only daughter. Young Mike in turn absorbs the distancing behavior she’s faced with and makes it her own. And yet when she sees her Dad becoming human again thanks to the new woman in his life, a grown-up Mike doesn’t know what to make of it. All of a sudden, both her personal and professional lives are in total crisis. Her career’s gone kaput and due to a distressing lack of funds, she’s forced to move back in with her dad. Worst of all, Mike doesn’t know how to help herself and get out of this rut.

Her awkwardness with other women is put to severe test when her new job as a substitute teacher leads her to teach a life skills class (which is essentially Home Economics disguised under a fancy new title) to young girls. Instead of teaching them to bake cookies, Mike decides to take the Life Skills title seriously and teaches them real life lessons such as subway etiquette, dealing with unwanted flirtation and other “important” issues. This end result is at once truly hilarious, yet touching. And it’s one of the highlights of this story. There are also various other side characters with bisecting and sometimes charming stories of their own.

Shanman slowly but surely humanizes Mike until she comes to the devastating self-realization that she’s sabotaged all the important relationships in her life. She grows up ultimately but by then she’s almost lost Gunther, an Aussie reporter who has long put his own career on hold just to be near Mike in the hopes that one day she’ll love him as he loves her. This is one part of the story that I just did not get. I understood how Gunther felt, sympathized with his plight and his unrequited love. But I never felt that Mike had any real romantic feelings for Gunther and that their getting together in the end was largely to achieve a happily-ever-after ending, rather than anything real. Shanman brings it about gradually, yet not convincingly enough for me.

In Short
This story is Mike’s journey of self-realization, of maturing from an overgrown tomboy to a secure young woman finally at peace with herself and the world, knowing her place in it and at last having connected with the people who truly matter. The end result is tender, overall funny, interesting and very appealing.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Here are Book News / Giveaways for this weekend. I'm always happy to promote books, authors and other book bloggers. So if you have something to share (news, reviews, giveaways etc), just let me know via the contact form (link above in the menu bar, above the header) or email me at abookblogger at gmail dot com with the details.

I'll be back on Monday with more (or earlier if I find something I must share :).

Happy book-end!

-o------------O-------------o-

Blood Muse has five paperback copies courtesy of The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child to give away. Enter before August 1st.

From LA Times: IDW Publishing, a comics company best known for horror titles (most notably "30 Days of Night") and adaptations of movies and television shows, is going into the beltway world by publishing "Presidential Material: Barack Obama" and "Presidential Material: John McCain," a pair of graphic novels that chronicle the life of the two men who both want to be riding on Air Force One for four years.

From Cnet: Sony one-ups Kindle by announcing on Thursday that its Reader Digital Book will be able to read electronic books published using the .epub format that many of the largest book publishers are using. Until now, Sony's e-book reader could only read books available from the Sony e-book store, PDF documents, and DRM-free text. Starting next month, the new PRS-505 Sony Reader model will be able to access secure DRM- and non-DRM-protected content in the .epub format, formerly called the Open eBook format. (Here's a review of the device.)

And don't forget to enter Teresa's “What Should I Read Next?” Giveaway. Make your suggestion for the August giveaway by July 31. It's a huge list, so choose well!

Through July 27, Tor.com offers 24 sci-fi and fantasy eBooks as free downloads. They're available in several formats, including .pdf, Mobipocket, and HTML. Notables include Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, Battlestar Galactica by Jeffrey A. Carver, Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder, Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell, and more.

The top 3 best-sellers according to USA Today on Thursday were:
1. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
2. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media)
3. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers)

*** Edited to Add ***
Ordinarily I'd have posted this on Monday. But I figured you guys would have fun finding the answers over the weekend, hence this addition. Here goes: In celebration of the release of Sherrilyn Kenyon's ACHERON, Anna is running a Dark-Hunter Contest. It will run from July 25th-August 5th. The prize will be a box full of Dark-Hunter goodies!!! The winner will be announced on August 5th at midnight. Good Luck! Link - http://annavivian.blogspot.com/2008/07/dark-hunter-contest.html
..................................................................................................................Don't forget my Author Guest Post : Jasmin Rosemberg (and a GIVEAWAY!)

In the village of Charm, Root Karbunkulus is an ordinary teenage girl living in a horrid halfhouse, used as an unpaid slave by her two grotesque aunts. Until one day she wakes up to the sound of a phone ringing - a ringing, that peculiarly, only she's able to hear. When she finally tracks down the phone to a secret room hidden under a trapdoor, she gets a riddle to solve by Argo Bumplekins. Solving the riddle on full moon night leads Root into the DréAmm, a mysterious world "three feet above you".

Once there, Root comes to know that she along with more than a 100 other kids, were all born in DréAmm but sent to live among Humans for their own protection. Divided into teams of three, these special kids are then informed they must all go on a scavenger hunt for six rare but legendary objects. The first item is Kalliope’s Miist, a highly secretive substance with a power to cure any and all.

Root finds herself paired with studious Lian and over-adventurous Dwyn. While Lian’s father holds high offices in the DréAmm ministry, Dwyn is an orphan just like Root. Together these unlikely teammates must solve clues, resist temptation, fight dangerous creatures, outwit other unscrupulous teams and face peril wherever the Quest takes them. Along the way they will discover their inner magic, their budding friendship will be strained to the limit, unlikely alliances will emerge and they will learn more about themselves than they ever knew.

Review

While not exactly in Harry Potter’s league, this fantasy adventure story is enjoyable and engrossing - once you get past the truly horrible aunts and the strange and difficult-to-pronounce names, that is. Simply put, it’s a treasure hunt and the winners of this first quest get to go look for the other, presumably more difficult to find, objects, whatever they may be.

Like HP, here again you have a trio of young people attempting to work, bond and adventure together to greatness. The shifting dynamics between them will keep readers on their toes, even as their burgeoning magic will be the cause of much angst among the three adolescent protagonists. Root comes across as the only sensible one even as her two male teammates come off as ego-centric and polar opposites. The story has a ton of other characters as well and there are myriad intertwining stories to keep the readers at once engrossed and slightly bewildered.

Young readers, at whom this book is aimed, will surely enjoy the thrill of chase that’s only enhanced by the presence of magic and magical beings, other fantasy elements and danger which just pops out of nowhere. As the protagonists learn through each adventure, so do (hopefully) the young readers as well.

However, as an adult reading this story, I was stuck with two glaring questions. Why send these young kids out in search of Treasures that even older, powerful magicians believe to be lost forever? And why is that the children don’t ask more questions - why were they sent away from DréAmm in the first place, or why are they called back and only just to go on a dangerous Quest? What is the purpose? Where are their parents, etc? Perhaps, these questions will be asked and answered in subsequent books, but I feel it would have been better to have built upon core background issues like this before embarking on the scavenger hunt, which appears to be the primary focus of the story.

In Short

If ever you’ve wanted to leave this ordinary world behind and go somewhere where Magic is common as dust, then head on over to DréAmm within the pages of this book. The target audience will surely enjoy this book and find the scavenger hunt action-packed and very thrilling. An adult reader will too, as long as they’re willing to overlook certain things.

We've all seen or heard about that movie with the kid who whispers "I see dead people". That's what teenager Chloe Saunders sees as well. Only she doesn't realize what she's seeing. It all begins with a nightmare (or is it a memory?) of little Chloe lured into a dark basement by a malevolent ghost. But the now 15-year old wakes up, shrugs it off and goes to Art school where she pretends to have as normal a life as a teenager can have. Then BAM! she suddenly gets her period and it's like putting up an 'Open House' sign for all resident ghosts. Naturally, she freaks out ... in school ... in front of disbelieving teachers who attempt to subdue her but whom she attacks in her panic-stricken state.

This gets Chloe sent to Lyle House, a remedial home for "disturbed teens". Wanting to check out of there asap, Chloe takes her pills, hides the truth in her counseling and generally remains subdued and watchful. But when her new roommate disappears after a disastrous incident with her poltergeist, Chloe knows something is seriously wrong.

She soon comes to realize that the other teens incarcerated with her exhibit special powers as well. If it's a coincidence then it's a pretty strange one. Staying quiet gets Chloe a get-out-of-jail-card. But speaking up about her own spooky powers may on one hand make her a permanent resident at Lyle House. On the other hand, she may just uncover the dark truth and in the process, face terrible danger. Are tentative new friendships worth the risks and sacrifice?

Review

I loved Kelley Armstrong's way of writing from the very first 'Women of the Otherworld' book. And The Summoning, first book in the "Darkest Powers" series, is good as well. Although I'm not an young adult for whom this book is intended, I couldn't help but be swept away by the chilling suspense of this story.

Armstrong portrays Chloe in a very natural manner. She's a typical teen - dismissive of her father who's always traveling, ashamed of being the only girl in her group who hasn't got her period, isn't fully into boys but is interested in them and full of the angst that only a teenager can manage. The other characters at Lyle House are equally interesting, but not as well developed. I'm thinking that that's because this is an ongoing series and so the author has held back some details for subsequent books.

It's interesting to see the drama unfold as gradually one by one the teens at Lyle House display their unbelievable powers. The secretive plotting, the jealousy and rivalry, the psychiatric sessions, the whole uneasy atmosphere, the tentative new friendships - all combine to form a story that will appeal to both young and older adults.

Cons

Plotting is the one of the things I had some trouble with in this book. One thing I still don't get forms a crucial part of the story and so I won't reveal it here. But I will say that I couldn't understand why Chloe had to be part of it, other than the fact that she appears to be the central character. By the end, however, the decision makes sense, but not initially. I know it's confusing to those who haven't read this book. But those who have, will probably know what I'm talking about.

The book ends in a cliffhanger. I wasn't prepared for this as Armstrong generally doesn't use that technique in her adult books, most of which can be read as stand-alones. That doesn't seem to be the case here. The book ends just when it starts to get interesting. Perhaps it felt that way because I'm not the target audience. Whatever the case, I felt quite cheated when it ended thus. On the other hand, I can't wait to read the next one, so maybe it isn't such a bad thing after all.

In Short

Armstrong's writing is as good as ever and the overall suspense is to be read to be believed. So go ahead, pick up this YA book.

Extra Extra!

Buy the Book - here.Visit the Author's site - here.Visit the SERIES site - here.Visit the Publisher - here.

You can also read the first two chapters at the series site or at the publisher's. Chloe even has her own LiveJournal and MySpace sites. Watch a book trailer here.

I checked out Armstrong's site where she calls this a TRILOGY! So there are 2 more books in the offing. The next one comes out May 2009 and is titled "The Awakening". Get some hints there.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Synopsis
Eva Kennedy is in a rut. After seven years of working at her uncle’s Dublin delicatessen, her artistic aspirations have slipped by the wayside and her latest relationship has fizzled. Hoping to shake things up and find inspiration, Eva takes a break and ventures to Melbourne, Australia, to visit her old friend Lainey, who, for fun, gives her an exciting new identity. Eva is now exotic and adventurous and . . . not herself.

Joseph Wheeler is a successful London designer. Unfortunately his firm is thriving at such a high level that he doesn’t have time to actually design anymore. And his love life is nonexistent. In Australia on business, Joseph meets Eva, and the sparks fly–even as Eva is stuck pretending to be someone she’s not. Little does she know that Joseph has some secrets of his own. . . .

When what starts as a holiday fling quickly blossoms into something more, Joseph and Eva discover that romance can turn life upside down and inside out at the bottom of the world.

Review

The first Monica Mcinerney book I read and thoroughly enjoyed was last year's The Faraday Girls. If you haven't read it yet, then I recommend you try it out. I had similar high expectations of this book and candidly speaking, I was disappointed. This book is a very easy, very fluffy chick lit where the principals pretend to be someone other than who they really are. Once romance is established, the characters naturally begin to wonder if their real-life persona will be a turn-off for their new love.

I'm not saying the book sucks. No, it's a light, semi-enjoyable read - perfect for the beach, actually. But there's nothing complex about it, except for the small, heart-breaking bit about Joseph's dad. Other than that, the story is highly predictable, and somewhat monotonous. The one thing I truly liked about it was the setting. From Ireland to Australia, where ever the characters go, the author manages to infuse life into the surroundings with engaging descriptions of people and places. Joseph's profession of Industrial design, Eva's plans for a deli and what's inherent with running a self-made business, the risks, planning etc are other interesting factors. The romance itself is simple and charming, nothing out of the ordinary - except, of course, for the pretense bit.

Cons
The whole 'Niamh' spelling thing really bugged me. The abrupt change of careers (for Joseph particularly), the unexplained mystery of the whole 'won't touch cat', are some of the other things I couldn't wrap my brain around. The humor, if any, is nothing remarkable and neither is the whole 'will they or won't they' romance bit.

In Short
Read it without any great expectations and you probably won't be disappointed.

Buy the Book - here.
Visit the Author's site - here.
Visit the Publisher - here.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

July 21st came and went. And with it ended author Jean Holloway's giveaway! A lot of you were intrigued by the giveaway challenge posed by Holloway, who asked readers to define her novel "Ace of Hearts" which released on July 3rd. Called everything from Erotic Thriller to Alternative Mystery, readers had a blast with their guesses!

Today, it was time for Jean to decide which among all the great reponses deserved to be the winner. Here is her message :

I guess erotic thriller it is! As for the winner, I like:

MaMa said on July 17, 2008 2:29 PM

Based on some reviews I've read of this novel, I'd say it sounds more like an erotic thriller. This sounds like a violent, sexually charged and captivating novel and when you throw in a serial killer of women and a female cop, well the tension most be off the charts! I would love to read this book! Thanks for hosting.

Please email me at "abookblogger AT gmail DOT com" with 'Holloway Winner' in the subject line and your full name and address in the body of the email. You have one week to respond. And you'll be receiving your prize directly from the author. Don't forget to read the Disclaimer.

Worried about your child forgetting all about reading while in the throes of vacation? Then here're some interesting tips for you, courtesy of some cool authors.

Below is a link to the TV clip, which may be a great starting point for your own discussion on how to keep kids reading through the dog days of summer. Jane O'Connor (Fancy Nancy) gives tips for the young readers, MAC (Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink) advises the 9-12 crowd, and Scott Westerfeld (Uglies) saves teens from summer boredom. Jane and Scott are of course NY Times Bestsellers; and MAC is an "up & comer" who recently sold out of her debut novel at its sneak preview during NY Comic Con.

Monday, July 21, 2008

The Ceiling Bookshelf is a great idea to store your books if your space is limited. Except for lighting fixtures and ceiling fans, almost no other use is made of this space in a room. It's basically empty. This bookshelf a truly innovative way to make use of it.

As you can see, all you need is a ladder to reach the books....every time you feel like picking up one...every single time. And then there's always the chance a book might land on your head most unexpectedly!

I couldn't get the weekend post up this week. So here are some Book News / Giveaways to wake you up this Monday. As always, I'm always happy to promote books, authors and other book bloggers. So if you have something to share (book release, news, reviews, giveaways... anything you want to share), just let me know via the contact form (you'll find the link in the above menu bar, just above the header) or email me at abookblogger at gmail dot com with the details.

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Don't forget to check out Tammy Lynn Whisman's Sliced Ice Cream. An exquisite collection, delivering a set of lushly crafted poems ranging from the expansive, mildly jangling to smoky sophistication... sure to beguile and seduce.

Planet of the Owlsby Mike Philbin has a split-narrative story that tells of the time-and-space traveling powers of the Gods who have finally arrived on planet Earth in the guise of birds: robins, crows, magpies and owls.

Breaking Cover, the new standalone J.D. Rhoades' is now available.
From the Shamus Award-nominated author of the critically-acclaimed Jack Keller southern crime series comes an explosive stand-alone thriller about an undercover federal agent, a chameleon whose specialty is assaulting criminal organizations from within.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Ever since I was lucky enough to become a Mama, I've been re-discovering the joys of simple things that I'd taken for granted. The sight a sparrow chirping on the windowsill. A thunderstorm. The Moon floating in the night sky. When you see them through the wide eyes of a child, you can't help but appreciate them all over again!

It is that kind of innocent joy that Focus Friends, a Colarado-based company created by 2 Moms, seeks to spread and inspire with their new line of quality books and products for young children, ages 2 to 9, based on unique characters they call Focus Friends. Each Focus Friend character possesses the essence of a special gift or trait and shows children how to apply that quality to their lives.

Their debut title, Joy is the Greatest Gift, written by Marks and illustrated by award-winning artist Eris Klein, introduces the first Focus Friends character, Joyann, who shares with readers her gift of creating joy. I had an opportunity to review this book and had fun reading it out loud to my toddler who was very impressed with the colorful illustrations. He just looked the pictures and tried to repeat the rhyming words after me, but he's too young to appreciate its inherent message.

In a message meant for children (but applies equally well, if not more, to adults), Joyann talks of opening up the gift of joy and finding it everywhere. In beauty, in smiles, in nature, in family and friends and oh, in so many other things. One just has to look for joy in order to find it, for it's everywhere. And the best thing to do with joy is to spread it. There is even a Joy List that a child can fill out towards the end. I loved this message and I know from now on whenever I'm mad or blue, I'll think of this book and remember its missive. The book's positive message is one that I, as a parent, want to instill in my child and hence, will treasure this book always. I also have no hesitation in recommending it to other parents.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Things have been pretty hectic around here and each time I look it seems yet another new book giveaway is happening. So here's the freebie Book list again. Go for it!Booking Mama is at it again. This time she's reviewed and is giving away a copy of Queen of the Road. You have until July 18th to leave a comment.

The divine Devyn Quinn is guest blogging at http://bratsweetnothings.blogspot.com this Friday, July 18th. Mark the date on your calendar and stop by on the day itself for the interview, juicy excerpts and a fabulous book giveaway! For an extra chance in the giveaway, just blog about the event and paste the link in your comment.

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Hello

Thanks for visiting. I love books - reading them, collecting them and of course, reviewing them.

DISCLOSURE - The books featured or reviewed here come to me in various ways - in the form of freebies, or borrowed from a friend or a library, or bought. However, my reviews have never been, nor will ever be, affected by whether a book's a freebie or not. The synopsis is generally taken from an online source like Amazon or the back of the book, etc.

Keep in mind - a review is just one person's opinion. It's always best to check out a book for yourself.

I'm interested in receiving books for review. Fiction in particular - all genres.

I also like to host authors and others with guest posts, hold giveaways and participate in blog tours. Please email me with details at : abookblogger at gmail dot com